


the long elasticity of forgiveness

by ConvenientAlias



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dysfunctional Family, FP Jones II's A+ Parenting, Gen, I'd probably give him a solid b- tbh but he's not awful, Jughead Jones Needs a Hug, Not Season/Series 02 Compliant, Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 06:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14688405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: FP is framed for the murder of Jason Blossom for several months. During that time, he sits tight and suffers Jughead's mercy.





	the long elasticity of forgiveness

FP has always wondered how far he could push Jughead before Jughead gave up on him. Wondered it after fights with Gladys where Gladys was irrefutably right and Jughead still commiserated with him. Wondered after he got fired, after Jughead realized he was running with the Serpents. The first time Jughead caught him selling weed to one of his classmates, and he barely raised an eyebrow. Hundreds of times when he woke up drunk on the couch but with his boots removed sometime during the night. Wondered after Jughead moved out, after he moved in with Fred Andrews, after the time he failed to get Jughead from the police station. It never seemed to be enough. He always thought, n _ext time maybe. Got to do better or he might give up next time. I’d deserve it_.

Murder, though. Murder seems to be where Jughead draws the line.

Jughead doesn’t yell. He raises his voice a little, and his face is a little scrunched up, but he’s not dramatic. He’s always been the quiet one in the family, saving the drama for his manuscripts. “Cleaning the trailer, convincing me you quit drinking…I was so happy for the first time in so long.”

FP remembers Jughead saying he’d like to move back in. It’s been months since Jughead stayed for more than two nights in a row—and he only spent two nights once when FP got sick and needed help around the trailer. Jughead actually living at home again…

FP was happy too, when he thought that could happen.

“You paid attention to me,” Jughead says.

That one stings. Surely F.P always paid attention to Jughead. Even when he was drunk, he paid attention, though not always in the most coherent manner. He’s always…tried. He might not be good at it, but…

But he listens. Maybe these are the thoughts Jughead has been thinking about him for a long time and only now is willing to voice. Maybe Jughead has always been this bitter, secretly.

“Let’s be honest, the only reason you even read my manuscript about Jason's murder was to make sure I wasn't onto you. You didn't want to take me to Toledo to get the family back together; you wanted to get away, you wanted to run away.”

It’s true. He’d wanted to get away from the Serpents, from Blossom, from Riverdale’s poison. It’s true, but it’s not what Jughead thinks. FP can feel his temper rising and he lets it rise. He shouldn’t be nice today. He needs Jughead to give up on him, really and truly.

“I did what I had to do.” He stands at the door, clenches the bars. “What I always do!”

“Are you even sorry?” Jughead is livid, but his voice is quiet.

“Sorry I got caught.” Sorry he got framed. Sorry for so many other things, too…sorry he got involved with this mess in the first place, sorry he helped Blossom cover his crime all those weeks ago, sorry he’s been a shit dad for years and constantly let Jughead down. Jughead’s heard those apologies before, though, whenever he gets a particular brand of drunk. Now is not the time to show any humanizing remorse. “We done?”

Jughead backs away. He turns, and FP remembers something he forgot to say.

“Jughead! Look at me.”

Jughead looks.

“Never come back here. Understand?”

Jughead’s brow furrows, then clears. He shakes his head and leaves.

From behind, he looks broken. And FP’s finally done it. Found where Jughead draws the line, something Jughead can’t forgive. He will never see his son again, because this is something his son will never let go, not ever.

It’s for the best.

* * *

 

Or it would be for the best, except not ever turns out to last only a week. And then Sheriff Keller tells FP he has a guest, and the guest turns out to be Jughead. He’s not scowling like he was last time, nor does his face have that blank, hurt look. It’s blank, but controlled. What looked broken before has been glued seamlessly back together.

The wounds must still be there, but Jughead doesn’t show them.

“I told you not to come back here,” FP says. He hasn’t seen a friendly—or even dubiously friendly—face in days, apart from Mary Andrews, who apparently has appointed herself his lawyer.

“Not my fault. I have been delegated by…a number of people,” Jughead says. He leans against the wall across from the cell, carefully casual. “I’m sorry for disobeying you but you did bring me up to respect women. And the law.”

“So what brings you here is women and the law?”

“Mary Andrews wants you to accept her as your attorney.”

“I don’t need any more favors from the Andrews.”

“Come on, Dad. Fred and Mary aren’t even together anymore—it’s completely different.” When FP continues to glower, Jughead adds, “Anyways I’m not living with Archie anymore so it’s really only one favor.”

“You aren’t?” Has his kid gone back to couch surfing? Or found a new closet to live in? He knows Jughead’s lived in some shitty holes, but he had a good thing going with the Andrews—why would they kick him out? Too disgusted to harbor the son of a murderer? But Fred’s a good man. “Where are you living now?”

“Sheriff didn’t tell you? I’ve been assigned a social worker, moved in with a foster family. I’m living in Southside.”

Shit.

“Not that bad, really. The family’s weirdly nice and at least they aren’t doing me a favor, they get a government stipend for it. Southside High School seems like my kind of scene, actually. Lots of freaks.”

Southside isn’t good for Jughead. But on the other hand, FP does have friends there—maybe they can look out for him if his own little squad can’t. _And better Southside than dead_ , he reminds himself. _Better Southside than dead_.

“I’m guessing they haven’t told you because Jason’s murder makes them think you can’t be trusted with teenage boys or something. People are weird.” Jughead shrugs. “I mean, you told them you committed the crime for monetary purposes, so…”

“You saw my confession transcription.”

“Betty got a copy. Don’t ask how. I didn’t want to read it.”

“Didn’t want you to read it either.”

Jughead clears his throat. “Yeah, well. That aside, like I said, Mary Andrews is a professional do-gooder and she’s definitely better than a public defender. Just accept the help. I’m sure we’ll find the money to pay her for it eventually. And Archie will be insufferable if you don’t.”

He shouldn’t do anything to save himself, even if he still pleads guilty. Blossom might object. But Jughead has that casual voice that means he actually cares a lot about what he’s asking for, and doesn’t really expect to get it so he has to be prepared for FP to hurt him. And it’s a small request, really, in comparison to the situation FP has put him in. “I’ll consider it.”

Jughead’s eyes widen just a little, and he nods fast. “Well, you’ll make a woman very happy.”

“Always a good thing.”

“And the other request is from Sheriff Keller. He wants you to name your accomplices and the people you worked for among the Serpents.”

“No. I’ve already spoken to him about that.”

“He says you could lighten your sentence. Maybe not get…well, life with no parole at this point, unless Mary works some serious magic.”

“I committed the murder alone. No one else is guilty.” Except Blossom. Really only Blossom.

Jughead nods. “Mhm.” Looks skeptical.

“Look, you got to stick with the people who’ve had your back. I can’t betray the Serpents. Don’t ask me for that.” Would he, for Jughead’s sake? Blossom wouldn’t object. No. He couldn’t. He can’t.

“I figured.” Jughead straightens. “Well, I’m heading out. I’ll get back to that never visiting again thing. Work with Mary Andrews. She’s a good woman.”

“I’m not a good man,” FP says. It’s true, if not in the way Jughead thinks.

“I know, Dad,” Jughead says. He leaves before FP can respond.

* * *

 

It seems like processing can take forever. FP is moved out of the local jail to the state penitentiary to await trial. It’s better in some ways. He has more room in his cell. He has three cellmates instead of being alone, and only one of them is really objectionable. He knows how to carry himself with this sort of crowd, how to deal with the threats and the hazing and the cliques. He can deal.

He’s only been there a week when he gets a visitor. He thinks it will be Mary—she’s been in contact with updates regularly—but again, it’s Jughead.

They are separated by glass and wiring. There is a phone on each side they can talk through. Jughead already has his in hand.

“Got a message for me again?” FP asks.

“No. I came to see my father.”

“Told you not to…”

“You technically told me not to go back to the Riverdale police station, and this isn’t there, so…” Jughead shrugs. “I figured it wasn’t off limits.”

“Yeah, well, you knew what I meant, kid.”

“Yeah. I know you were trying to protect me by pushing me away. It’s not the first time you’ve done it. I know the signs. But I want my dad. You can send me away if you want, or I can tell you what’s going on at Southside. Maybe you can pay attention for my sake for once instead of trying to figure out if I worked out your murder.”

Again, it stings. But FP deserves it. “Fine, kid. Sorry. What’s…what’s going on?”

Jughead’s been settling in nicely. He’s made some friends, fits in better than even he had guessed. His foster family is a little distant but the mother makes good food, better than even the Coopers (here FP suspects him of exaggeration but he lets it pass).

Also, the Serpents have paid him a few visits.

“They hear you’ve refused to give names. They appreciate that. And they gave me this.” Jughead turns, and FP realizes that what he took for a mere used leather jacket has the Serpents symbol on the back.

“You’ve joined them?”

“Not entirely. I’m not interested in selling weed or hanging out at the Whyte Wyrm or a lot of stuff, so I’m not a full member and I probably won’t be. But I guess we’re cool now. Some of them go to the high school, so that’s nice.” Jughead laughs. “I think you have more friends than I do, Dad.”

Jughead’s never been all that popular. But his friends have always been more…quality, in the classic white-bread sense of the word. “You haven’t broken things off with Archie and Betty?”

“Oh, the gang’s always asking me to hang out. So. I see them sometimes. Taking Betty to the movies tomorrow, maybe.” Jughead smiles. “Wish I could take her to the drive in.”

Another thing that’s FP’s fault, another crime he’ll never have brought against him except in the sadness of Jughead’s eyes. “You really like your old movies.”

“Can’t bring her to my new house. Too loud. Movies are ideal, classically romantic. Did you bring Mom to the movies, back in the day?”

“Sometimes. More often to concerts.”

They talk about current news, and anecdotes from the past, as if nothing is wrong between them, as if nothing is broken in their family. Jughead hasn’t explained, FP realizes, why he didn’t go to Toledo to stay with his mother. He should ask but he doesn’t. Doesn’t want to ruin the moment, even if it’s not a moment he should have allowed in the first place.

Jughead would be better off anywhere but here but selfishly FP is glad he’s still at least in state.

They don’t talk about anything important until Jughead lives. Then FP says, “I don’t want you coming back.”

Jughead smiles. It’s a small smile, but stable. “We’ll see.”

* * *

 

Jughead won’t stop visiting. He visits biweekly, as often as the prison will let him and his foster parents will drive him. One month passes. Another. A third.

Yes, it has been three months when Jughead finally asks him, in the middle of telling him about his last date with Betty, “Why did you do it?”

The subject change is so fast as to give FP whiplash. For a moment he doesn’t know what Jughead means: hurting his mother? Falling into alcoholism? Covering up the murder? Ah, the murder. Yes, he must be talking about Jason, with such an intent look on his face.

“You said you read the transcript. That’s all you need to know.” He leans back in his seat.

“Yeah, but there’s always two sides to every story. All you said was the basics. You didn’t really explain your side at all.”

Two sides to every story. That’s a line he used to feed Jughead when he and Gladys fought. Gladys would tell Jughead all the things he’d done wrong and Jughead would come to him and say, Dad, tell me your side. He’d be half drunk and maudlin and tell Jughead all the ways he’d been right all along and Jughead would eat all the stories up, even when they were obviously full of holes, gobble them like candy.

“There’s no real excuse for murder,” FP says. “I wouldn’t bother looking for one.”

Jughead scoffs. “All the transcript says is you needed the money. You figured you wouldn’t get any sympathy because Sheriff Keller is a hardass.”

FP can’t help but chuckle because yeah, that’s accurate, Sheriff Keller has never been exactly open to that whole “two sides” thing.

Unfortunately that seems to encourage Jughead. “So? You only planned the kidnapping part. I mean, obviously the murder didn’t make you any money. You were counting on the ransom coming through. Jason would have kept your identity secret to avoid the stigma of drug dealing…”

“But I still kidnapped him,” FP says. “Tied him up in the basement. And eventually killed him.” He won’t let Jughead start thinking he’s innocent. That’s too dangerous.

“But you never meant to kill him. I bet when he ran you just panicked. Shot without thinking.” Jughead makes a face. “Were you drunk, Dad? Maybe you weren’t aiming for the head…”

A perfect headshot, and Jughead wants to believe he made it by accident. It hurts to hear him ask whether FP was drunk and actually sound hopeful about it. Once, FP’s sobriety had been the source of such hope. But it’s better than murder, if it was half an accident, if FP was intoxicated, if FP didn’t really _mean_ it. Jason would still be dead but to Jughead, it would be better than murder.

But that’s not what Blossom wants FP’s story to be, when the trial comes. He has to keep his story straight. “I wasn’t drunk. And I shot Jason on purpose.”

Jughead shakes his head. “You’re out to crucify yourself, I know…”

“I’m not. I’m just stating the facts.”

“My dad wouldn’t kill a boy in cold blood. I know it was a mistake.” Jughead crosses his arms. “You don’t have to say it, and you don’t have to apologize. But I know you.”

Too close to saying he thinks FP is innocent, much too close. Blossom won’t stand for it if Jughead starts campaigning along these lines. “Let it lie,” FP says. “I am a murderer.”

“Yeah, well, lots of people commit murder. But everyone acts like you committed premeditated, first degree homicide, and that’s bullshit. Don’t worry, I’m not starting any fights, but it’s bullshit.”

Jughead’s eyes are clear and angry. FP slowly nods. Fine. He’ll let Jughead have this one. “It wasn’t originally intended to be a murder. Just a kidnapping. I really needed the money.” Easy for Jughead to believe, for the court to believe—when has he not needed money? “Things got out of hand.” And that, too, is an easy lie. FP has never been in control, not since high school, certainly not since Jughead was born. Jughead has never known a sane, functional father, only the mess FP is now. And FP now is probably enough of a mess that he might really commit a manslaughter.

Jughead lets out a sigh. His whole body relaxes, and he smiles. FP actually spots tears in his eyes. “Betty told me I should talk to you about it. But I always believed in you. I just didn’t want to…I don’t know.”

“You’re a good kid,” FP says.

“You’re a bad man,” Jughead says bluntly. “But you’re not that bad. I wish everyone knew that.”

* * *

 

“Look, you need to stop visiting me. My trial’s coming up soon…”

“You need your own headspace?”

“Well, I’ll be convicted. You shouldn’t be visiting a convicted killer.”

Jughead says, “Veronica still loves her father, you know?”

“Hiram Lodge?” It’s so irrelevant FP blinks.

“Yeah. Not a murderer…well, not a convicted murderer…but definitely a ruiner of lives. Actively, now that he’s out of jail. So, not father of the year. But she still loves him. Because he’s her dad.” Jughead laughs. “She even has a little pearl necklace he gave her that she always wears around her neck, which is a little on the nose, but…”

Not so outlandish, really. Jughead is still wearing that Serpents coat, and FP suspects it’s more because it makes him feel safe, makes him think of FP, more than because of his new friends. He’s not one to talk about being a daddy’s girl.

“You take Veronica Lodge as your role model? Trying to be just like her?”

“Nah. We’re not exactly similar, I guess.”

“Well, between you and a River Vixen, I’d assume there would be some differences.”

“She’s always worrying about whether she should love him. Always struggling.” Jughead shakes his head. “I’ve never had to try to give a shit about you. I just do. And I don’t feel guilty abou it.” He laughs a little again. He seems to laugh more lately than before FP was in jail and FP wonders what that means—is FP being out of his way easier for him? Or is it a façade he puts on to spare FP the pain of seeing him hurt? “Well, I did apologize to Cheryl that one time, but since then I don’t bother. The sins of the father are not the sins of the son.”

That’s something FP can get behind. “Amen.” He toasts Jughead with an imaginary glass. Jughead flinches. Apparently he’s still more disturbed by FP’s old alcoholism than by his supposed murder. Good to know and entirely just, since the alcoholism is real and the murder not so much, even if Jughead doesn’t know it.

“Anyways. Remember that novel I was writing? The one you told me to stop working on because I might uncover your own heinous crime?” Jughead’s voice is careless, so FP knows it’s time for him to pay extra attention.

“Your own personal _In Cold Blood_? Of course I remember. You had some good prose going there. Did Betty Cooper publish any of it in the _Blue and Gold_?”

“Yeah, no. Said it would be tasteless.” Jughead shrugs. “I kept working on it for a while. Couldn’t help it, I guess. Had to finish it, name the real culprit, tie up the loose ends. But it was kind of tough going. I only finished it last night.”

“Oh, you finished it?” That, he wouldn’t have expected. “Good for you. I don’t suppose I get a look at the manuscript?”

“Maybe not.” Jughead is grinning, but he’s uneasy. FP knows that look. “I, um. I think I might delete it from my computer and. Possibly burn the paper copy.”

“That seems a little extreme.”

“I needed to finish it. But I don’t want it anymore.”

“You might want a copy one day. I’d keep one on a flash drive. You can bury it somewhere if you want.” Like the evidence of Blossom’s guilt. “Forget it completely. But you put a lot of work in. Don’t destroy it entirely.”

Jughead nods seriously. He huffs. “Look at me, listening to a murderer on how I should treat the documentation of his crime. I guess you have an opinion.”

“I’m speaking as your father. As a criminal? By all means, destroy all evidence. But as your father, the work of your hands is valuable.”

Jughead nods again. “Thanks, Dad.”

FP wonders if the advice is really good. But it really would be a pity if Jughead got rid of all those months of work. He’s just sorry it came to such a sorry end in the first place.

“I’ll see you in a couple weeks,” Jughead says at the end of the session, and FP doesn’t bother contradicting him. He has his son, for better or for worse. He won’t fight it anymore.

* * *

 

Proof of FP’s innocence surfaces in the springtime. It comes from Kevin Keller, who gets an “anonymous tip” on where evidence against Blossom can be found. The hidden flash drive comes to light. FP is interrogated for hours, for days. Jughead does not come to visit him during this time. FP asks how he’s doing and gets no answer. _Did Blossom hurt him, does Blossom blame FP for this, is Jughead all right? Tell me. Tell me!_

At last they tell him. Blossom has hanged himself. He’s been declared posthumously guilty. Jughead is uninjured, though he’s been kept from visiting the prison. And FP has been declared innocent. He’s allowed to go home.

He’s allowed to go home.

It feels wrong. He’s committed so many crimes. Maybe not the one they booked him for but sure, he’s guilty. After months in prison, he feels guilt as an essential part of his being. But they tell him, “You’re innocent.” They put him on a bus. The trailer is still there, kept tidy and guarded by the Serpents. He sleeps on the couch because it feels wrong to go to bed.

He buys himself a can of beer. Stares at it. Almost decides not to drink it; he should be turning over a new leaf. Drinks it anyway. It’s been months since he touched a drop of liquor. This doesn’t mean he’s going back to his old ways. It’s just a celebration. He deserves it for what he’s gone through.

Jughead is still with a foster family. He’s not allowed to come stay with FP yet, and FP wouldn’t want him to. Technically FP isn’t allowed to see him yet, either, not until Mary manages some legal finagling, but Jughead runs with the Serpents, and it’s only a couple nights before he shows up at the Whyte Wyrm.

“Dad.”

His voice cracks.

FP grabs him and holds him. The leather jacket is worn but smooth. He’s never felt it on his son before even after months of staring, but it makes Jughead feel bigger in his arms—or maybe regular meals have made him gain some pounds. Either way, there is a stable weight to his body now. FP clutches him. At first he thinks he’s started crying. But then he realizes the one shaking is Jughead, and FP is doing the comforting for once, being an actual parent. “There, there,” he says. He’s not sure what he’s supposed to say. Serpents are watching all around, some solemn and some smiling, but they all seem to approve. They’ve taken to Jughead in a big way, and they’ve always loved FP They’re his people. They’re family, and this is a reunion they deserve to witness for what they’ve done for his son.

“You’re innocent,” Jughead gasps.

“Well, of murder at least,” FP admits. “I didn’t kill Jason Blossom.”

Jughead mutters into FP’s jacket, “I should have known.”

“You weren’t supposed to know.”

“I should have believed in you.”

FP squeezes his son tighter. “You did, son. Even when you thought I was guilty, you did.”

There’s something frightening about that. He knows, now, how far Jughead’s forgiveness goes. He won’t care if FP commits kidnapping or even murder. He’ll just keep on coming up with reasons to love him, forgive him, keep on being there for him. He’s not going to give up.

It’s frightening because what does that mean? Jughead wouldn’t care if he were a murderer. FP can’t use his forgiveness as an excuse to be the way he is anymore, he can’t think Jughead will pull him back before he does something truly wrong, can’t use Jughead’s tolerance as a measure for whether he’s gone too far. But then, he never should have used his son like that in the first place, maybe. He is the one who was wrong, not Jughead. Jughead’s mercy is terrifying, but it is not his fault FP wanted it to be justice.

He wishes Jughead was not so quick to forgive a sin greater than he would ever commit.

And yet, guiltily, he is grateful. He thinks he has gone through the darkest night of his life—well, hopefully it won’t get any darker than this—and he was never alone.

His eyes are watering. He blinks away the tears. This is Jughead’s time to cry. For once, FP will be the strong one, and he will hold himself together.

“Thank you for believing in me, Jughead,” he says. “I’m home now. I’ll get my act together.”

“You don’t have to. Just…I’m so happy,” Jughead says. “I don’t need anything more than this.”

He doesn’t need anything more than a father who is not a murderer. FP swallows a lump in his throat. No. He’ll do better than that, he swears. He’ll give Jughead higher standards for happiness.

He’ll make it so Jughead doesn’t have to forgive him anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Just finished Riverdale Season One and FP and Jughead's relationship fucked me up, man. Especially in Episode 12 but in every episode tbh. Aghdjfkldmkfldms.  
> I'd love to hear from y'all in the comments but please no spoilers for Season Two! I haven't watched a single episode of it yet. Oh, I'm also on tumblr at convenientalias.


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